Cold weather exercising.

flt_rn

I have Graves disease (thyroid) and am very cold sensitive. Just bundling up with hat, coat and gloves does not help me.
Can anyone suggest light exercising... I am just starting out?😃

spiriteagle99

You can exercise at home, either with online videos or dancing to music you enjoy, or even walking in place to music.

I get cold too, especially my hands, which have Raynaud's. In my case, I'm hypothryoid. However, if I am moving fast and continuously, I can walk and run outside below freezing without too much problem. It helps to warm up inside by running in place or going up and down the stairs a few times before heading out the door. I only have problems when I am walking with my husband, who walks very very slowly. As long as it's above freezing, I can handle it, but if it's colder than that, he stays home.

yirara

But other than that I do everything, like day-long cycle rides, running, hiking, etc...

AnnPT77

@flt_rn, can you say a little bit about the cold conditions where you are? That might help us help you. I think you're getting answers from diverse climate assumptions, since this is an international site. How to cope with zero F (-18 C) is very different from coping with zero C (32 F)!

Here, most of the Winter hovers around freezing, but it will occasionally get into negatives fahrenheit, though the coldest days are more like single digits, say around -20s C. Much of the time there's a little snow or ice on the ground, sometimes mud in above-freezing bits, sometimes several inches of snow.

I don't usually attempt outdoor exercise unless it's getting up close to freezing, even without health complications making it worse; and I don't go for walks from home when the roads are snowy/slippery because I live on a moderately busy road with no sidewalks.

Stuff like that would make a difference in what we might suggest. There are good suggestions above about videos. There's lots of free content on YouTube. Leslie Sansone beginner walking videos are some that I've seen recommended by others here.

The definition of "starting out" or "beginner" can vary, too. We don't know how old you are, or what physical condition.

If very beginner, you might want to talk a look at things like chair yoga videos. Those aren't necessarily all seated: Some have standing exercises where the chair is just there in case the person needs it for balance. Yoga by Adriene is a popular source of yoga videos for many fitness levels, and there's a good bit of beginner content, including chair yoga.

Another option if you're seeking mild exercise to start - even if you're not in the target demographic - would be to look for content labeled "for seniors". That isn't all mild, because seniors vary in fitness, too. (I'm 69 myself .) But outfits like Silver Sneakers and AARP have some very well done very-beginner offerings that can be a good starting point for other ages, too, and I believe some are free.

I hope it's obvious that if you try videos, you may find certain things feel too advanced even if labeled "beginner", and that's OK. It's also OK to stop the video and rest, or only do part of the workout if it's fatiguing. Overdoing for current fitness level is always a bad plan, IMO. It's hard to recognize that "too much" point sometimes when starting out, but it's a thing to pay attention to. The sweet spot is something that's a bit of a challenge to current capabilities, but manageable, not exhausting, risky or painful.

Also, are there viable indoor options around you outside your home? I don't know where you live, but if there's an indoor shopping mall around, people go to those to walk, and sometimes they have organized walking groups. Also, some schools here have Community Education programs or the like that offer indoor activity, not necessarily all of it "extreme fitness" stuff. Ditto for some gyms, community centers, or YMCA-type organizations: There can be beginner offerings.

Sometimes people find it intimidating to try out group classes or gyms, but I think the reality is usually less daunting than what we might imagine when unfamiliar. If there's someplace near you that is an option, it should be possible to schedule a visit and take a peek at the facility and maybe even a beginner class, without diving into participating until after you see what it looks like. It can be scary at first, but these classes can have a really supportive atmosphere after we get past that "newbie blues" concern. These usually have a cost, but not necessarily high cost.

Like I said, I don't know your situation. I started being routinely active when I was in my late 40s, just finished with full-bore cancer treatment (surgery, chemo, radiation), and still obese. I was very physically depleted, very beginner! By taking it gradually, figuring out what was manageable and enjoyable, I kind of surprised myself with the extent of progress I could make, with patient persistence. It turned out to be more than worth the effort, a big quality of life improvement. I'm betting you can find that, too.

Best wishes!

TracyL963

spiriteagle99 wrote: »

You can exercise at home, either with online videos or dancing to music you enjoy, or even walking in place to music.

I get cold too, especially my hands, which have Raynaud's. In my case, I'm hypothryoid. However, if I am moving fast and continuously, I can walk and run outside below freezing without too much problem. It helps to warm up inside by running in place or going up and down the stairs a few times before heading out the door. I only have problems when I am walking with my husband, who walks very very slowly. As long as it's above freezing, I can handle it, but if it's colder than that, he stays home.

As for indoor exercise - google Walk At Home on youtube. More variety than walking in place, but takes little space, and best of all you can go at your own pace.

yirara

I have a muscle condition that seems to be worse in cold weather, plus Raynaud and Hashimoto. I still go out to run or hike. I'm kind of used to having cold skin even if I'm kind of warm (not sure that makes sense). For that reason I'd never go camping or sleep somewhere where I know I won't be warm. But other than that I do everything, like day-long cycle rides, running, hiking, etc...